The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-06-24

| requesting certain lnlOrmdtion feiau'c
to the prohibitory law Of this S.ate and
the manner in which it is enforced, has
been received.
In reply have to say that our prohib-
itory law is being enforced in 80 OF the
90 counties of the State, as well as the
laws against other crimes, all malicious
reports to the contrary Notwithstanding.
In the fourteen remaining counties, sit
uated principally along the Mississippi
river and containing large towns abound
ing in foreign population, the law is but
partially enforced, and in few instan-
ces is even defantly violated. These
places are, however, gradually yielding
to public sentiment in favor of general
enforcement which is rapidly growing
even in the eastern part of the State.
Prohibition has certainly not injured
any business interest except that of the
saloon keeper nor has it driven any
good citizens from our borders. 1t is
true we have lostsince the adoption of
the prohibitory law several thousand
incurable vendors of liquor and perhaps
few hundred incurable topers, but we
have every reason to congratulate our
self upon such loss
Hon. G. w. Ruddick, Judge of the
18th judicial district and one of the
oldest and best judges Of the state in an
official report, dated July 18th, 1887
making the following statement
THE jails in this district are now idle
and In eight terms of court held by me
since January LIST, there has been but
one Indictment presented, and think the
grand juries have been reasonably dill
gent. Much of the criminal element has
certainly emigrated."
Hon. John w. Harvey, Judge of the
Third Judicial District of this State, also
makes an interesting statement concern
ing the influence of prohibition on crime.
He has been Judge four years and half.
In 1888 he sentenced 81 persons to the
penitentiary; in 1884, %; in 1885, 20; in
1886, IA; and during the first six months
of 1887, 3. These were divided among
counties as follows: Decatur, 0; Ring
gold, O.; Taylor, s; page; II; Montgomery,
%; Adams; 2; Union, 90. Clarke, O;
Wayne. /; the latter county has been in
the district only since last January.
Judge Harvey says: Il am frequently
asked what is the cause of this decrease
in crime during the last four years My
answer is, the enforcement Of the prohi-
bitory liquor law, and it seems to me
that the above figures prove this beyond
a doubt" The first year l was on the
bench the saloons were running; the Sec
ond and third years they were running
in some localities; but the fourth year
do not believe there was saloon in the
district am satisfied that there was
not an open saloon. Red Oak. in Mont
gomery county, and Creston, in Union
Co., were the last places in she district to
give up the saloons and the record from
these two counties shows the result.
The result from these counties is not
because they have larger population
than either of these counties. In the
counties where the law has been en-
forced there has been the least crime.
During the last year it has been an I'M
common thing-as in this county de-
catur at the last term-for the grand
jury TO adjourn without finding an in
dictment
At first, under the present pharmacy
law, some of the druggists were dNpoSed
to take advantage and abuse the truSt
imposed on them, but number of con-
yictions and fines and the revocation Of
number of pharmacy permits by the
pharmacy board has had wholesome
effect, and l believe that great major
ity of the druggists in this district are
now disposed to obey the law.
As regards the internal revenue OF a
state, It is no indication whatever of the
amount of liquor consumed in that state,
for the taxes on liquors is paid by the
and not by the con-
sumer. For several years one of the
largest distilleries in the country was in
operation here, manufacturing for ex-
port only. From that institution alone
was collected by far the greater part of
the internal revenue of Iowa 1t has
long been a disputed question whether
this disthlery could be operated under
me nrohibitorv law. and about three